Saturday, August 11, 2012

Painting my outdated bedroom furniture, done!

Ever since we completed our final bathroom renovation last fall, we've been slowly making our way through a variety of long overdue upstairs projects - new closet doors, painting, carpet, curtains, etc... It's not quite finished, but the end is in sight. And I realized that if I wait for the big reveal, I'll be writing the longest post in blog history. So let's get started with my bedroom furniture. You had a little preview here. It was sad, really really sad, 1970's Colonial style dark pine sad and outdated!


The furniture was a wedding present from my husband's parents thirty three years ago. If you're too young to remember, just take my word for it that it was quite popular at the time.


Now it's just kind of painful to share!


If you saw it at the Goodwill, would you pass it by or consider it a candidate for a makeover?


For the longest time, I had an inspiration photo from Pottery Barn with white bedroom furniture from hanging over my bed. Yes, I'm very visual. The furniture was really so similar, I had to give it a shot. I mean seriously, what did I have to lose?


My husband's only question was, how was I getting it to the garage?  We've been in this house for almost thirty years and I really don't even remember how the movers got this stuff in here. But since the entire upstairs was being painted and we were getting new carpet, I knew we could just paint it right in the bedroom - whew!



Only the headboard and the drawers had to be carried outside.


And thankfully, I had a fearless helper! Megan actually encouraged me to go for it from the very beginning.




That sweet girl removed all the hardware, then painted, distressed and waxed all twenty five drawers.


And I made sure she had hot coconut muffins every morning!


And then we moved inside and with two of us working, this part was a breeze! We lightly sanded everything with a sanding sponge, mixed up some Behr Silky White with the homemade chalk paint recipe, lightly distressed and finished up with a coat of wax.



The paint adhered beautifully and all that dark pine was becoming a distant memory!



Just when we finished, our painter was ready to paint the walls. Having the drawers out and the hutch off the dresser made his work a whole lot easier too. And no, I do not paint walls if I can possibly avoid it.


Okay, ready to see what it looks like?
(No pretty accessories till after the carpet arrives.)



Now I'm really loving the curves.
They've gone from dated Colonial to sweet Cottage Style!




I love the way the distressing brings out the details.


The hardware was replaced with pretty crystal button knobs and satin nickel cup pulls.




I'm not missing that eagle one little bit!






So there you have it, a pretty new Cottage style bedroom in the making! I think it has a beachy, coastal feel.



A cushy new chair arrived yesterday and curtains and carpet are on the way. I think the end is in sight! And I'm just loving the fresh new look!


I'm linking to...
Mod Vintage LifeThe Girl CreativeFunky Junk InteriorsPhotobucketChic on a Shoestring DecoratingA Glimpse Inside
A Delightsome LifePhotobucketA Diamond in the StuffPrimitive and Proper
DIY Show Off

Under The Table And Dreaming




80 comments:

Alison Agnew said...

what a difference
a little paint
and a lot of elbow grease can make

your old furniture
now looks brand new

i'll bet
you love walking into your room now

thanks for sharing!

alison

Noble Vintage said...

I love it Sharon!!!! So beautiful. I feel like I got to know an interesting side of you through this post. You don't like to paint walls?? :) A furniture painter...but no walls! I'd come help you paint for some yummy muffins!! LOL

Your room is looking gorgeous already and I love that you have an inspiration pic hanging by your bed. I do that too. :) Have a great weekend, can't wait to see the rest.

P.S. I kinda liked the eagle hardware....but I do think the new hardware is perfect. ;) more cottage-y.

Unknown said...

Excellent transformation by you and your helper! I love the results and I'm now totally undecided what to do with my bedroom dresser and night tables. I was thinking of stripping and re-staining the tops and painting the bases black, but now I am wondering if this is the way to go.

Sherry @ Thrift My House said...

This post made me so happy! I'm in process of painting my oak bedroom suite white. I was a little intimidated, I've never painted this much furniture at one time but like you - instant gratification!!! I love how yours looks now. Very beautiful! I look forward to seeing the whole room done.

Unknown said...

Incredible!!!! Now I wish I hadn't gotten rid of my pine set! But I have a cherry mahogany set that was my folks that is over 60 years old and it needs white or cream....can I ask, you painted it first and then you added the extra layer with the mixture of latex and chalk paint? Why the mixture? I see this a lot....If I am going to do this I want to do it right...:) Thanks for the great photos!!!!

pbrenner said...

It never ceases to amaze me what a HUGE difference paint makes. I'm looking forward to seeing how beautifully you style the room next :-)

The muffins sure look yummy too ;-)

Patty

Tombstone Livestock said...

WOW, great job, does not even look like the same furniture. Way to go, recycled and looks like new.

Stacey said...

WOW! That looks great! Paint is an amazing thing! Can't wait to see it all put together!
Stacey of Embracing Change

Anonymous said...

Such a fabulous transformation! I'm glad you painted them instead of getting something new as they look great! - Susan

NanaDiana said...

Oh- They look very cottage-like now. I love the change. THAT was a big job-but you did a grand job of it- xo Diana

Leslie Harris said...

Sharon-wWhat a transformation! It does look fresh and clean and I swear, you'd would never know what it looked like before. Right now I'm actually holding a wet, red paint brush, finally working on my little project. And I couldn't help but notice what an amazing helper you have. Is that your daughter? Because now I'm truly jealous!
Leslie (aka Gwen Moss blog)

Korrie@RedHenHome said...

That is a tremendous project! It's looking great; can't wait to see the final outcome!

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Oh yes, I remember pine well. In fact, we still have our pine kitchen table from 43 years ago! Love what you've done. The paint really brightens up everything - like all new furniture! Can't wait to see it all done. Linda

Allison@FabRehab said...

I canNOT believe the transformation. Honestly, I didn't know that style of hutch could be helped...but it looks amazing!!! Nice work!

Anna Whiston-Donaldson said...

a million times better! what a great new look. xo

Sarah AKA The Thriftress said...

This change is a true testament to the power of paint. The furniture went from heavy and dark to light and pretty! Who needs to spend money on new? Enjoy your "new" room Sharon!

Cassie Bustamante said...

what a great helper you had! they look fabulous!!! so light and fresh- love the hardware and love the aqua jars in there. :)

Carrie said...

LOVE IT! I love to distress and have been using Annie Sloan paint-which is great but expensive....I am SOOOO excited to try you chalk paint recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Danielle said...

It looks beautiful. What a difference the white makes. I bet your loving your 'new' bedroom set.

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

The power of paint is soooo good!!! It looks outstanding...love the hardware that you went with.

Blessings,
Linda

gail@My Repurposed Life said...

woohoo!!! oh my, oh my! Sharon, first I have to saw huh what? 25 drawers!!!! lol Yay for helpers! :)

I just can't say enough about the change it has made. The color is perfect, and the knobs and pulls really improve it all too.
so happy for you!

gail
ps y'all sure took great care of that furniture--those 33 years!

Emily @ The Diligent One said...

Wow, wow, wow!! The furniture looks great! I can't wait to see the finished room.

Emily

Ali Richardson said...

WOW! What a great transformation!! Looks like tons of work, but well worth it!! Great job :)

Scrap4Therapy said...

Can't say how much I love white furniture! Yours looks amazing and if I saw that at goodwill I'd be on it. Love all those drawers!

Cyndi ✪ Blue Star said...

Sharon - Love,love, love it! I'm a sucker for fresh white furniture. What a large and impressive job! Love your new blog header, too!

thepecanlady said...

Love the white! Very beautiful and "beachy" plus cottage. Could I hire your helper? lol

Katie - Something to be Found said...

Total inspiration for me to paint EVERY last piece of furniture in my house :) Amazing!

CHRIS MURRAY said...

huge improvement-new hardware and all! great post

Our Pinteresting Family said...

Sharon it turned out amazing!! I love the color and the hardware. It really brightens up your room as well. Enjoy all of it after all that hard work. Megan

Anonymous said...

These pieces are really beautiful. I'm glad you kept them. I have a similar dresser in my room that I painted. My one suggestion would be ditching the hutch on top of the dresser in favor or a framed mirror. Much lighter and more airy. JMO though! =0)

Twigs and Twirls said...

What a transformation !!! Now I need to get the guts up to do my dark living room furniture. Thanks for the inspiration.

Twice Nice said...

You are inspiring! I still need (for the past 3 years need) to finish my bedroom makeover! Good for you for making the time and tackling all the furniture. Great update!!

Unknown said...

What a transformation. Yep, I probably would have walked right past that one at Goodwill! You really outdid yourself!!

Jaye @ Just Tryin' to Make Cents of it All

Anne said...

Beautiful transformation!!!! LOVE that white paint!
xx
Anne

Good Time Charlie said...

Wow, this is the perfect example of what a difference paint can make. Good solid furniture, but just needing an updated look. It all looks fantastic! You must be enjoying your "new" bedroom so much!

Restore and Renew said...

What a fabulous transformation!!

Vintage Restyled said...

Just perfect! It now has a second life! Enjoy!!

Bliss said...

Way to reuse! That makes for an affordable room makeover that will look fantastic.

~Bliss~

Jenn said...

Oh my gosh. My mom has a big dresser just like that one in your first picture with the mirror. She was going to get rid of it, but seeing how beautiful it could be, I better hurry and call her and make sure she didn't already junk it. Everything turned out beautiful and I think someone would pay big bucks for a set like that.

Number Fifty-Three said...

WOW! That is amazing! The transformation is so beautiful and cottage/shabby. I love it! And the before totally reminds me of my parents bedroom furniture growing up. Great way to repurpose it!

Angela

Hetty said...

What a big change - it looks fabulous Sharon! It motivates me to paint my own BROWN bedroom set..

Holly Lefevre said...

That is an AMAZING transformation. Just gorgeous!

Kathryn Ferguson Griffin said...

Oh, wow! It is such a great transformation! Thank you for sharing. Visiting from DIY Showoff. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House which goes live at 8am CST. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

Tammy @ A Walk in the Countryside said...

It looks amazing! I know it probably was a lot of work but it was so worth it!

Daniela @Frugal Aint Cheap said...

absolutely beautiful in white!

Stephanie@New Again said...

You did a great job Sharon - they look beautiful!

prince snow farm said...

This is a perfect example of being able to look at things with a positive light...boy is your reveal an uplifter! I adore what you have done!

Karena said...

Sharon, it is a stunning transformation, and I am so excited to see the finish! Whew what a job though I am glad you had a helper!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
2012 Artists Series featuring Harrison Howard

andrea@townandprairie said...

Your new pulls nad knobs really highlight the makeover well! Great re-do!

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

What a cinderella moment for this furniture...it looks wonderful! Can't wait to see the final reveal!

foreverdecorating said...

Amazing transformation!

One More Time Events said...

wow this really turned out beautiful...love the knobs too! Would love it if you would share it at Share It One More time
http://www.onemoretimeevents.com/2012/08/share-it-one-more-time-5-and-features.html
Just found you and now following

Unknown said...

Wow, just amazing how it has brought the furniture bang up to date! It just goes to show we don't always have to buy new.

Antonia

http://tidyawaytoday.wordpress.com

Debbie @DewdropGables said...

It looks amazing! Yes, good choice and seeing how well yours turned out gives me the nerve to finally do ours!
I love it!
Saw you sharing at Coastal Charm
Debbie :)

The Bean Sprout Notes said...

My parents own nearly an identical piece of furniture. And yes, theirs was a wedding gift as well. Great transformation!

Allison {A Glimpse Inside} said...

Holy cow Sharon! This looks FANTASTIC!! That furniture was just crying out to be painted and updated! Awesome job as always!
Thanks for linking up to this week's Catch a Glimpse Party. I will be sharing this on AGI's FB page.

Unknown said...

What an amazing transformation - I had almost the identical set - wish I'd kept it all those years ago when I see this - it's just gorgeous Elizabeth!!!!

Rhissanna said...

Oh yes, lovely job. The distressing uses the original finish of the dresser, too.

Mary Helen said...

I'm in the process of doing the exact project also--my furniture is 17 y.o. and has awful large gold pulls! I have a high boy and one nightstand left--I replaced the 4 poster bed w/an iron headboard--my room is so much "lighter" and roomier now! I'm using AS chalk paint in the old white and french linen! Love your room and the pops of blue on the white dresser!

Mary Helen said...

I'm in the process of doing the exact project also--my furniture is 17 y.o. and has awful large gold pulls! I have a high boy and one nightstand left--I replaced the 4 poster bed w/an iron headboard--my room is so much "lighter" and roomier now! I'm using AS chalk paint in the old white and french linen! Love your room and the pops of blue on the white dresser!

Barbara said...

I just found your blog via Funky Junk and I am thrilled. I've been on the hunt for bloggers who are nearer my age, have lived in their homes for many years (25 for us) and have old furniture to work around and with. Your bedroom furniture transformation is amazing! I am in the process of painting a chest that was my hubby's as a baby then our son's as a baby. 35 years ago I painted it yellow when pregnant with our son. It's been that color and our chest in the Master bedroom for years and years.Thanks for the inspiration - Barb

Barbara said...

I just found your blog via Funky Junk and I am thrilled. I've been on the hunt for bloggers who are nearer my age, have lived in their homes for many years (25 for us) and have old furniture to work around and with. Your bedroom furniture transformation is amazing! I am in the process of painting a chest that was my hubby's as a baby then our son's as a baby. 35 years ago I painted it yellow when pregnant with our son. It's been that color and our chest in the Master bedroom for years and years.Thanks for the inspiration - Barb

Roeshel said...

I Love the power of paint! Your furniture looks gorgeous! What a HUGE difference! It's always such a difficult decision to paint. Definitely a great choice and big inspiration! Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

I am so in love with this. It looks one hundred percent different and two hundred percent better! This looks so great.

Handy Man, Crafty Woman said...

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Lisa said...

So pretty! I love the crystal knobs.

BeckyD said...

O.M.G. ! I have the same old dresser! I can't wait to do this to it now!!!!! Thanks for the wonderful idea!

Laurel Stephens said...

I think this is the most inspiring furniture redo I've seen online. My best friend got her pine furniture about the same time you did, and I remember the dark bulk of it well. You've completely erased that look with your white paint and have brought out pretty curves and lines with your distressing that just didn't visually exist before. It's really completely different furniture! I love it! Huge kudos to you and your daughter, Sharon!

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful. You did such a good job, it has a completely different feel than it once did. And I am completely envious of your antique mason jars. :D

Karissa said...

Beautiful! It was such a beautiful piece before but now it is even more amazing and it is great how distressing items brings out the details of the piece! Thanks for sharing!

Kathryn Ferguson Griffin said...

This is really quite the transformation! Thank you for sharing. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/09/make-it-pretty-monday-week-14.html Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

Unknown said...

i love the color of the cabinet and the drawers..,it so amazing and beautiful.

antique furniture

Gail said...

Love the look of your furniture, I am going to show my girlfriend who has the same furniture, course I could end up helping her! I am now going to do my guest room furniture so thanks for the chalk paint recipe. Great job and so worth the hard work!

justinandchelseypoole said...

HOW DO YOU "LIGHTLY DISTRESS" WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE? AND WHAT IS THE WAX COATING YOU USED? BEAUTIFUL!! I WANT TO DO THIS TO OUR OLD FURNITURE SET. ABSOLUTELY LOVE <3

Unknown said...

well..!! who will not like it to live in such kind of places. For me it is just like a dream place.

justinandchelseypoole said...

You emailed me a while back with details about how you did your furniture (the grit and top coat and all of that) if you'd like to see MY finished product of our furniture here is the link! and if you don't want me to use the link to your blog I can remove it just let me know :) thanks for all of the tips and tricks! http://justinchelseypoole.blogspot.com/2014/01/painting-furniture.html

Barbara @ 21 Rosemary Lane said...

Not sure how i missed this post! What a huge difference! That furniture went from dark and clunky to bright and light! Love the new hardware you chose as well. Fabulous job Sharon!!!
XO Barbara

Nancy's Daily Dish said...

I have an Ethan Allen piece that belonged to my husband when he was a kid, also about 30-35 years ago. We've had it since we've been married and it has the same finish yours did to begin with. I have been wanting to paint it for a loooong time. I think your project just gave me the final push of inspiration I need. Your set turned out beautifully and I agree that the curves went from Colonial to Cottage. Great job, thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

Your inspired me to repaint some of our old pieces of furniture. Thanks@

Betty said...

I'm more than old enough to remember that dark furniture and how popular it once was. What a difference a little paint makes!